Aster plant named Lilac Blue Admiral

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Aster plant named `Lilac Blue Admiral`, characterized by its cupped capitulum form and daisy capitulum type, bluish-purple ray florets, yellow green disc florets, strong well-branched flower stems, and its numerous flowers borne on short pedicels.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Aster L.hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name `Lilac Blue Admiral`.

`Lilac Blue Admiral` is a product of a planned breeding program whichhad the objective of creating new perennial Aster cultivars foryear-round commercial production having, among other features, goodflower (capitulum) form and shape, and having superior vase-life lastingquality of the cut flowers. The specifically named traits in combinationwere not present in previously available commercial cultivars prior tothe Aster Butterfly series of earlier varieties of the present inventionand for which plant patents have been granted. The cultivars `WhiteButterfly`, `Blue Butterfly`, `Rose Butterfly` and `Pink Butterfly` arecovered by U.S. Plant Pat. Nos. 7,397; 7,399; 7,400; and 7,401,respectively.

`Lilac Blue Admiral` was originated from a hybridization made by theinventor P. Akerboom in a controlled breeding program in Ter Aar, TheNetherlands, in 1987. The female parent of `Lilac Blue Admiral` was anunnamed Aster novi-belgii seedling. The male parent was an unnamed Asternovi-pilosus seedling.

`Lilac Blue Admiral` was discovered and selected as one flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated parentage by the inventor P. Akerboomon Sep. 10, 1987 in a controlled environment in Ter Aar and identifiedas seedling No. 87.M.K.B.Bl.6.G.

The first act of asexual reproduction of `Lilac Blue Admiral` wasaccomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initialselection in November 1987 in a controlled environment in Ter Aar by atechnician working under formulations established and supervised by P.Akerboom.

Horticultural examination of selected units initiated in 1988 and 1989has demonstrated that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for `Lilac Blue Admiral` are firmly fixed and areretained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

`Lilac Blue Admiral` has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly underdifferent environmental conditions of temperature, light intensity anddaylength, without, however, any variance in the genotype.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Ter Aar, The Netherlands, under greenhouse conditions whichapproximate those generally used in commercial greenhouse practice inthis country. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of `Lilac Blue Admiral`, which,in combination, distinguish this Aster as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Cupped capitulum form.

2. Daisy capitulum type.

3. Bluish-purple ray floret color.

4. Diameter across the face of capitulum of 32 to 35 mm at maturity.

5. Strong, well branched flower stems.

6. Many capitula per synflorescence, borne on short pedicels.

The accompanying color photographic drawings show typical synflorescenceof `Lilac Blue Admiral`, with the colors being as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a perspective view of `LilacBlue Admiral` grown as a single stem cut spray Aster.

The photograph at the bottom is a top view of several mature flowers.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar to`Lilac Blue Admiral` is the variety `Blue Butterfly`, disclosed in U.S.Plant Pat. No. 7,399. Reference is made to attached Chart A, whichcompares certain characteristics of `Lilac Blue Admiral` to the samecharacteristics of `Blue Butterfly`.

In comparison to `Blue Butterfly`, `Lilac Blue Admiral` has morevigorous growth, thicker and courser flower stems, shorter and broaderleaves, larger flowers (capitula) of a pale purplish color, and manymore ray florets. Similar traits are capitulum form and type, sprayformation, photoperiodic light reaction, and equally long lastingvase-lifes.

When compared to the male parent's flower and flower stemcharacteristics, `Lilac Blue Admiral` is much easier to handle duringharvesting. Novi-belgii cultivars typically have brittle and easybreaking flower heads and branching stems. `Lilac Blue Admiral` isabsolutely free of these drawbacks.

In the following description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determinedbetween 12:00 and 14:00 hours on Jun. 20, 1989 at Ter Aar, TheNetherlands.

Classification:

Botanical.--Aster pilosus×novi-belgii cv `Lilac Blue Admiral`.

Commercial.--Medium daisy-like spray Aster perennial.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Cupped.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--32 to 35 mm.

Arrangement.--Raceme inflorescence.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Purplish.

Color (upper surface).--Closest to 76A.

Color (under surface).--Closest to 76A.

Shape of floret.--Apex rounded; elliptic; very long, straight.

Size of floret.--16-17 mm long×4-5 m wide.

Number of ray florets.--28-35.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--Disc florets themselves are closest to 1C/1D; disc baseis deeper yellow which gives overall deeper effect than floret color.

Color (immature).--Closest to 1C/1D.

Diameter of disc.--4-5 mm.

D. Reproductive organs.

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; little to very little pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--Tall; depends on light reaction; under continuous long days itcan grow up to two meters tall; medium to dense branching.

B. Foliage:

Color.--RHS 147A yellow-green.

Shape.--Oblanceolate; tip acute.

Size.--Lower leaves, length approximately 140 mm, short to very short;width 20 mm, broad. Upper leaves, length 60 mm; width 9 mm.

Margin.--Entire.

Arrangement.--Alternate, with angle acute.

    ______________________________________                                        CHART A                                                                       Comparison of `Lilac Blue Admiral`                                            and `Blue Butterfly`                                                                     LILAC BLUE                                                         Cultivar   ADMIRAL       BLUE BUTTERFLY                                       ______________________________________                                        Ray floret Purplish-blue Blue                                                 color                                                                         Capitulum form                                                                           Cupped daisy  Cupped daisy                                         and type                                                                      Spray formation                                                                          Compound      Compound                                             Pedicels   5-40 mm long  8-18 mm long                                         Diameter across                                                                          32-35 mm      27-30 mm                                             face of                                                                       capitulum                                                                     Number of ray                                                                            28-35         27-29                                                florets                                                                       ______________________________________                                    

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Aster named `Lilac BlueAdmiral`, as illustrated and described.